Clutch



Aug. 30, 1932. E. w. SEAHOLM CLUTCH Filed May 17. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet lAug. 30, 1932.

Filed y 17. 1 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 alike magi Patented Aug. 30, 19 32 1 ACORPORAW, COBBWIONUF .7 aw wm nr i This irwenti'orr relates' toclirtohes and heemdesi "asia'n impromnent in; type of dr'se clutohwliereimthe clutch is on i gaged and released by the=nmv ement of am:

v- I in members toward wmd 'fronmeacli other to:

e ect and rel'ease-the fri'ctiimal grip ot diliven members said dtivingmembers arrirrtermediatedrivingmambeiu An object of. inventionzis toinrprevd the structure-of tli '0l11l76h particularlythe-operating'mechanismt A further olj' ect is toavoid the eflect- 0fcentrifugal "force upon the operating levers Otheri'obj andtiadiramaawill gbexun'e derstood from-the follomizig the accompanying drawings. H

m d w s i- -1 Eigslrisiaacltttch in elivation. Fig. 2 is a sectiononline 22of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in section on line 33 of Fi 1. V

lteferring by reference characters to the drawings, numeral 5 re resentsthe driving shaft which, in the application of the invention to motorvehicles,wil1 be driven by the engine. Numeral 7 represents the drivenshaft, the rear end of which will be associated with any preferredtransmission mechanism;

Theshaft 7 may be rotatably mounted by anti-friction means 9 within arecess in the end of shaft 5. Numeral 11 represents a flywheel which asshown is hollow and which is secured to the flan e on shaft 5 byfastening means 13. The flywheel 11 is provided with a ring gear 15which is to be engaged by the driving pinion of a starting motor. Aswill be seen from the drawings, this ring gear is mounted on a flange 17integral with the flywheel. At 19 is what will be designated as anintermediate driving plate. This plate is received in a recess of theflywheel as shown, is annular in form and is secured to the flywheel bya plurality of fastenin means 21. As will be seen the outer perip eryofthis intermediate driving member 19 is somewhat spaced from'the innerperiphery of the flange 17. It is thepurpose of thisconstruction topermit the expansion of the ring 19 without distortion as might occur ifit were 191m: sens: no -"303305;

Jim, W; name; amon re mum. memorial.

fitted snugly into the' flywheel recess} meral 23' represents oneofa;series: ful -1, 7

bolts symmetrically-1' distributed and secured by retaining means 25tothe intermediate plate 19;: The-drawings show a-coastructienadapted"for the use of fourof-"such fulerum 1 bolts; The driven sha-tt 7 3sshown provided" with a splined portion'27: to which is secured i a;hulifi On the ends ofthehubare secured driven; plates 31' by suitablefastening means At their'(mterperheralportions the driven plates 31 areprovi ed with= anmr lar friction rings 35. V

Slidable on thefulcrumipins 23" arevangirw ner driving clutch platelfland amouter dri v ingr clutchplate 393 These driving platesw37 and39i-when moved toward 'eaeh other "grip th'e drivenplat'es 31betweenthemselves and the intermediate plate 19; Whenin this rippingposition; the' drive is transmitted. rom dI'iv-ingshaft 5throu lithedrive; ing elutcheleinentsto-thedriven p ates glj and me aimsnma: v

is wplate wdiiclinmay be -designated the pressure 'plate. It connected't'othe innerdriv-in'g clutch plate 37 by 'apluralityoff pairs-off studs41". These studs are formed with slfmrlders and cooperating-'nutstoliold the inner plateand the pressure-plate in fixed positionsrelativet'o the studs? Of each pair" is arranged on eaeh side of afulcrum Between the pressure plate and outer driv ingplate-wthero arearranged alur'alityof coil springs 43;- The metal-of t e-pres'sure platemay bein turned to form a channel for oneend bftlie springs andpreferablytlie outer drivingplate'is provided-with cu -shaped'-*'elements 45 to'receive the Qther'en" s of'tli'e springs: These springsoperatein lioth-"direc-- tionse Tl'r'eir-irrward pressure upon thedrivin plate" forces thatplate towardtlie in tel-met iate d'rivingplate: Tlieoutward SlimfQf Spr'i'lfgS 43 pnslies tlre pressure plateoutwardly-which through theinstrumcntality of studs '41 pulls the innerdriving plate tbward tlie intermediate driving plate. This constructionneutraliiaes tlidtendenoy toendi thru'sfi'in theclutelii f plurality oilmrs;

or 'cl'ntcir throw eut fingers 47 extend radially and are locatedbetween the outer driving plate and the pressure plate. These'fingershave a fulcrum engagement with the fulcrum pins 23 as shown in Fig. 2.Outwardly from their fulcrums the levers are formed with recesses andengage spherical surfaces on .studs 49' carried by the outer drivingplate 39. Inwardly from each of the fulcrums the levers 47 areoppositely'recessed to engage spherical sur f'alceson": studs51ca'rri'ed" by the pressure plateAOL Suitable positioning springs 53may be used between the pressure plate and the levers. In operationthese levers function to release the clutch. Their inner ends are to been gage'd and moved inwardly by any-suitable clutch-releasing collar. Noinvention is being. claimed for the collar and to simplify theillustrationno collar is shown. As the lever. rotates in a counterclockwise direction about its fulcrum the outer driving plate is movedaway fromthe intermediate .plate jandthe' pressure plate, being pulledinwardly by means of stud 51causes the movement of the. inner drivingplate away from the intermediate driving plate through theinstrumentality. 0f studs 41-.- y

It has been found thatthere is a tendencyunder the influence ofcentrifugal force for the throw-out levers or fingers to move in anoutward direction, and this force has been found to be of sufficientmagnitude to require attention. Unless provision-is made. to restrainthe levers from this movement the studs 49 must sustain this tendency ofthe levers to move outwardly. As a mea'ns for correcting this tendency,I providebrackets associated with each lever. These brackets are designated on the drawings by numeral 61; They may be secured to the pressureplate by rivets 63 at their inner ends and at their outer ends they maybe securedby the studs Has shown in Fig. 3. The outer ends of thebrackets will be received between the shoulders on the studs, and thenuts-as clearly illustrated; The levers 47 are shown as provided withflanges 65 made as a simple stamping. Through itsenwhich at a portion oftheir length are formed as outwardly directed lugs 67. as shown inFig. 1. The brackets 61 are also formed with side flanges 69 which makesthem of somewhat U-shape. These flanges are provided with inwardlydirected extensions 71 whichinterengage with parts 67 of the levers;This bracket 61 is very inexpensive andmay be gagement with the lever iteflectively'resists any tendency of the levers to move outwardly underthe influence of the centrifugal force. To provide access to bolts 21the outer driving plate may be provided-with openings 73.

Iclaim:v 1 I --1. In a clutch, an intermediate driving plate, inner andouter driving plates, one on each side thereof, a pressurei plate spacedfrom the outerdriving plate, means connectplate, spring means betweenthe pressure plate and the outer driving plate, said intermediatedriving plate having fulcrum members, levers fulcrumed thereon andoperatively connected to said pressure plate and outer driving plate,and brackets secured to said pressure plate, said brackets and levershaving inter-engaging parts to restrain said levers from outwardmovement under the influence of centrifugal force 1 2. In a clutch, adriving plate, a movable pressure plate, a lever operably connected tosaid plates to move said driving plate axially of said pressure plate, aU-shaped sheet metal bracket secured to said pressure plate, saidbracket and said lever having inter-engaging parts independent of saidoperable connections' to restrain said lever from movements influencedby centrifugal force.

3. In a clutch, a driving plate, a sheet metal movable pressure plate, alever of U-shape in section operablyconnec'ted to said plates to movesaiddriving plate axially of said pressure plate, a U-shaped sheet metalbracket secured to one of saidplates, said lever being assembled betweenthe arms-of the U-shaped bracket and said bracket and said leverhavstrained fr'om movements influenced by cen' trifugal force. Intestimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

ERNEST "W. SEAHOLM.

